Rory McIlroy edges past Lucas Herbert to join Kurt Kitayama in quarter-finals

Rory McIlroy reached the quarter-finals of the 2023 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play after edging out Lucas Herbert in a high-quality encounter, while Kurt Kitayama swept to a 6&5 victory over fellow American Andrew Putnam to book his place in the last eight.

McIlroy, who won this event in 2015, never trailed against Australian Herbert in their last-16 encounter but was forced to battle extremely hard to keep the 27-year-old at bay before eventually closing out a two-hole victory.

Kitayama, meanwhile, built on the momentum he gained on Friday as he stormed into an early four-hole lead against Putnam before ending the contest at the 13th. 

McIlroy will face Xander Schauffele in the quarters after he beat J. J. Spaun 3&2, while Kitayama will meet Cameron Young following his 5&4 victory over Billy Horschel.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler takes on Jason Day, and Sam Burns comes up against Mackenzie Hughes in Saturday's other last-eight matches.

World Number Three McIlroy took an early lead as he holed his birdie putt from around ten feet to win the first hole.

Australian Herbert produced an impressive response, draining his 15-foot birdie try at the second to pile the pressure on McIlroy - but the Northern Irishman did not crumble, tying the hole with a lengthy putt of his own.

Herbert levelled things up with a birdie at the sixth but McIlroy soon regained the lead, winning the seventh after sending his tee-shot to around six feet.

The four-time Major Champion curled in his monster birdie putt from around 30 feet at the ninth to go 2UP.

Herbert hit straight back, though, racing in his 27-foot putt to win the tenth hole and cut the deficit to one.

But he found the water at the 12th and McIlroy restored his two-hole cushion.

It did not last long, though, as a close-range miss from McIlroy handed the 13th hole to Herbert.

McIlroy then holed clutch putts from around five feet at the 15th and 16th to remain one in front.

And he was forced to make an important putt once again on the 17th - from around seven feet - after Herbert had drained his lengthy effort from the edge of the green for a birdie.

McIlroy made no mistake to take a one-hole lead to the last before winning the 18th for a 2UP victory. 

He said: "If you look at the stats over the last three days, Lucas probably played some of the best golf of everyone, so I knew I was in for a tough game. I got off to a really good start, but every time I hit it in close, he'd answer me with a birdie.

"It was one of those games where it was really back and forth. On that back nine I had to hole some nice putts coming in there to keep my nose in front, and this 18th hole has been good to me over the week. It would be nice not to have to play it. But yeah, another great drive up here and was able to two-putt. Obviously very excited."

Kitayama came into the weekend with a spring in his step, having beaten Tony Finau in his final group match before winning a three-man play-off to reach the knockout stages.

And he carried that form into his last-16 clash with Putnam, going 4UP after six holes courtesy of an early chip-in and some confident putts.

Putnam won the next hole to stem the tide but Kitayama extended his lead to five with back-to-back wins at the eighth and ninth.

And despite Putnam winning the tenth with a birdie, the match ended when Kitayama won the 12th and 13th to cruise into the quarter-finals.